At Demo Day, startups weren't the only stars

Frameri founder and CEO Konrad Billetz. / The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua

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The hundreds of investors who came to Cincinnati this week for The Brandery’s Demo Day had already seen a pretty solid pitch from the city before the first startup ever hit the Aronoff Center’s stage Wednesday.

There was the Everywhere Else conference held Monday and Tuesday, produced by Nibletz Media Inc.

Visitors had only to walk across the street or around the corner from the Aronoff Center to see two of Downtown’s newest attractions: the 21c Museum Hotel and Boca restaurant.

And anybody who is sticking around Thursday can wander up the street at 9 a.m. for the groundbreaking of Cintrifuse’s future home at 1313 Vine St. Cintrifuse is the regional initiative to support and help develop high-potential and job-creating start­ups.

There’s a reason young, growing marketing and advertising companies across the country are looking at opening offices here.

Then there’s the growth of The Brandery itself.

Keep in mind that the Over-the-Rhine consumer marketing and branding accelerator is only 4 years old.

Some members of the local entrepreneurial scene told its co-founders the idea would never work.

So it’s notable that several attendees of Tuesday night’s Brandery Investor Dinner say they were blown away by attendance of representatives from national funds.

Further validation came Wednesday morning when Shawn Reynolds, global vice president of SAP, said his company has made a “significant” contribution to The Brandery that includes resources, technology and money.

By the time Reynolds spoke, the Aronoff Center was packed.

In attendance were executives including Bob McDonald, retired CEO of Procter & Gamble and a key force behind Cintrifuse, and Mark Kvamme, former JobsOhio chief and co-founder at Columbus-based Drive Capital.

Demo Day is ultimately for companies graduating from The Brandery’s four-month program, but the event’s magnetic effect brings its own unique and powerful value to the region.

The convergence of entrepreneurs, brand managers and venture capitalists in one place offers networking possibilities worth multiples of the cost it takes to travel here.

Just to be clear, attendees got a great show at Wednesday’s Demo Day main event.

Brandery General Manager Mike Bott said eight of the startups have additional funding lined up to help them grow and add critical staff. Tapfit and Chalky are raising $750,000 rounds; Sqrl is raising a $500,000 round. Co-Ed Supply, launched in July, has $25,000 in sales and has raised $150,000. Frameri has raised more than $43,000 on Indiegogo in less than two weeks, well above its $30,000 goal.

That reflects at least two trends: The Brandery is drawing applicants with increasingly developed business models every year, which means the accelerator is successfully differentiating itself from the 171 other seed-stage accelerators worldwide.

It’s been a team effort and shows why having an engaged business community is so critical.

CincyTech was an early Brandery champion. PNC Bank, P&G, Ohio Third Frontier, Duke Energy, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Haile/U.S. Bank Foundation and Ohio Third Frontier are also key sponsors. EY, Cintrifuse and Resolvit were Demo Day sponsors.

The Brandery also counts on a network of mentors who give their time and expertise to the startups. And this year, the E.W. Scripps Co. and Empower MediaMarketing offered grants to select Brandery companies.

Empower’s $10,000 Disruptive Media Fellowship went to Donde, a mobile locator platform for marketers started by Vancouver entrepreneurs Anthony Nicalo and Fabien Allanic.

“Support like that will get more folks like Anthony coming here to build their business,” Bott said.

A fitting end note to a great day for the region. ■

Brandery companies

• Awesomatic: Tool allows a business’ customers to support each other.

• Chalky: Connects advice-seekers with mentors who’ve been in their shoes.

• Co-Ed Supply: Delivers box of college essentials on a monthly subscription, connecting brands with the college market.